What Were You Expecting
by Skarlettefox
Summary: About the stories of Laai and Alia, who have more in common than meets the eye. Set in Clone Wars, takes up a lot of genres. NOT ALL ROMANCE! a lot of OC Okay, this is my first fanfic ever! So, please be nice, and help me out here! Rated T for themes and language. Rating may change. PLEASE READ
1. Chapter 1

Prologue:

"Laai Zyrek?" a tall person in a dark cloak flanked by two perfect examples of dumb muscle were asking Saggy Sooge.  
"Nah, I aint never heard of the name before." He said, multiple chins wobbling.  
He pointed one of his four arms at the back door, a signal for her to sneak out and find Silverfingers.

Just before she jumped out, she saw the person's cloak flap open, enough to see the crest on in it. Deathwatch.

She quietly slid out from behind her fortune-telling stall, you wouldn't think there would be too many of those around the shadiest part of Mandalores under city, but there are a lot of corrupt buisnessmen dying to know if their latest black market deal will make them rich, or some random hooker, needing to know if their latest escapade has left them with a bun in the oven.

The strange thing was, that she usually got it right, unless the person was wearing a large amount of silver. But Laai Zyrek could tell if somebody's luck was going to change, for better or for worse.  
Unfortunately, from recent a check, she had known something really bad was coming up. Which was why Saggy and Silverfingers had devised this escape plan for her.

Laai arrived at the trapdoor, and knocked in her special pattern: 3 knocks then a pause, 2 taps and a half pause then 4 quick taps.  
After a pause, she saw four thin, extremely long, silver fingers open it and pull her in.

She landed unceremoniously in the speeder, but recovered quickly. "Come on fingers, stop your manicure session, time's a wasting!" she joked.

Strangly, there was no witty reply. Silverfingers silently strapped himself in and began to do a saftety check.

Now Laai knew something was very wrong, Fingers was acting very out of character. Usually, you cant get a word in edgeways, and Silverfingers was the most dangerous driver she knew, so why the heck was he doing a safety check and putting on his seatbelt?

Hell, she didnt even know his speeder HAD seat belts! Wait, his speeder didnt have seatbelts, this wasn't Fingers' speeder, which meant...something had gone very wrong.


	2. First Impressions

Hello all! I am the great Skarlettefox, and you may now shower me with your admiration…not.  
So this is actually my first chapter, but the prologue is important!

If you think this story needs more, could be better, or just plain crap! Please, tell me because I am an AMATURE writer, okay!

One more thing: I TOTALLY OWN STAR/CLONE WARS…not, no really, George Lucas has that honour.

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Chapter 1: First Impressions

_So much to do, so little time_… mused Senator Alia Crimson. Being only her second week in the senate, with her new position as Jedi ambassador and spokesperson. She had decided to get a feel for the place, to get to know every one…which was probably why she was currently milling aimlessly around the Jedi temple…..Completely and utterly lost.

Alia felt close to freaking out, but tried to keep a lid on it. _Remember what your master taught you, calm and composed, like the room of a thousand fountains my mind must flow and….__**WHACK! **_ She was almost bowled over by a small red and blue astromech droid.

_Okay, calm, but not too calm. _Alia told herself_. We don't want people thinking you are some crazy whacko who zones out in the middle of nowhere! _She looked around. _Right, how am I gonna find my way? _She froze as she realised that she had just spoken the words that she had uttered to her master almost 15 years ago. _I thought I had changed, but maybe not as much as I thought….but the temple has changed, not from the outside, but in aura; not as much respect, friendship or love. It's the war, the reason for the carnage and destruction that has spread across the once peaceful galaxy has turned this beautiful sanctuary into an emotional battleground, a fight of conscience against desperation. _Alia shook her head as a wave of nausea hit her as she opened her mind and realised just how damaged, how hurt these people were, what they had seen and endured. How they were all so very lost.

Bringing herself back to her current predicament, she searched around for a gullible, would-be victim, and spied one.

A small astromech droid, a very….familiar looking droid, in fact…it was the same small bot that had almost flattened her earlier! Yes, now Alia was very sure, as she recalled the red and blue paint job, the blue background was very dark and the red panels were a very vibrant red, in fact…._It was crimson! _She realised with smile. Alia chuckled to herself, "Sweetie, you and I were meant to be."

Gliding gracefully towards the droid, she whispered: "Hello Sweetie, now who might you be?" Not waiting for an answer, she swiftly knelt and located a name. "Ah ha!" Alia said triumphantly, "R6 C3, hmm, it has a bit of a ring to it." R3 C3 beeped in agreement.  
Alia felt almost bad about this, but she needed info, and she needed it now. So she decided to use her more….unorthodox methods….."Anyway, can you do me a favour?" she asked, resigned to her new task and opened her force-eye to its full hypnotic power, feeling the indescribable sensation of her mind beginning to delve into the circuitry of the little droid, but before she could extract any data, she abruptly felt her consciousness hit a virtual brick wall.

"Beep Beep BEEP!" Cried R6 C3 in indignation.  
"Well how about that", said Alia with newfound admiration. "You're pretty strong minded for a small droid." This unfortunately was not the best choice of wording, as R6 C3 was, as aforementioned, a bit on the small side.  
The insulted droid slowly revolved and began to saunter away from the esteemed senator.

"Whoa, hold up!" yelled, earning a few confused looks from bystanders as she sprinted after the rapidly escaping droid. _Wow, this droid is really quick! _Worried Alia. As she watched the droid deploy some small, but powerful thrusters. Senator Crimson decided to take drastic action; She crouched momentarily, then launched herself into a series of arial front flips, landing directly in front of R6 C3, without a single hair out of place.

"Listen C3," she said soothingly. "I'm sorry about all that, but it's in my nature to be a bit distrustful. Can't we just start over?" Alia pleaded.  
Although she had only just met-and accidentally insulted- the small astromech, she felt a strong bond between them already, like she had known C3 for many years. These thoughts were interrupted by said droid making a few irritated clicks at her, as if to say: _-Get on with it woman!-_  
Alia jumped as she heard the droid's 'thought-speak' (as she liked to call it) loud and clear in her mind. Then smiled, she had her ace in the hole at last.

"Okay, I know you probably hate me, but I swear I didn't mean to hurt you" she started. "But I see, no, _sense _that we have more in common than you may first think."  
Alia continued with a comforting smile; "We both have an appreciation for the colour red, for example," she gestured to her signature crimson cloak and ruby beads adorning her hair.  
C3 beeped in grudging agreement.  
"We've both got strong minds and opinions" this statement was accompanied by more beeps.

Inwardly, Alia was smiling; _Hmm, maybe I'm actually getting somewhere with this droid….Oh well, time for the moment of truth. _

"Besides Darling; I know what you're thinking" she sing-songed.  
If C3 had possessed eyebrows, they would have been above her face after that seemingly ridiculous statement. Even so, with a hugely exaggerated roll of her single glowing eye. R6 C3 swivelled round and was rolling away when senator Crimson played her trump card.

Alia beamed her thought-speak directly into the mind of the retreating droid: "_No really darling, I KNOW what you're thinking!"  
_The effects of such actions were instantaneous. R6 C3 froze, and slowly reversed back towards the now smugly smiling senator.

As she approached, Alia could sense the droids jumbled thoughts trying to find some order, so she decided to make it easy for her, and lighten the mood; "So yeah, I am pretty much the ultimate telepath, Mistress of Mesmerisation and possibly the best at 'Jedi mind tricks.' She chuckled.

_Oh yeah, Mistress of Modesty too!_  
Alia responded without thinking; "Hey! I heard that!"  
_You did, did you?  
_The senator was forming a good comeback, when she was rudely interrupted by the sound of a door being dramatically slammed open. She went to turn, but C3 managed it first. _Wonderful, it's the Jedi dreadlock boy. Wow, is Kenobi gonna be pleased…  
Huh?_ Alia broadcasted. No time for subtlety now, as she could feel the waves of annoyance rolling off the other occupants of the room, as well as a strong compulsion not to turn her head and reveal her identity…_Who is it?! _She practically thought-yelled.

_Whoa, calm your cogs, lady. _C3 reassured her, if that comment was intended to make her calm down. _It's just that Quinlan Voss guy, but if you want to leg it, I'm all up for a bit of action!  
_"Well someone's being friendly now." Alia muttered  
_What?! Hey, I figure, if you can put the hoodoo on people, than I think I could be entitled to a few free deluxe sessions at a droid spa"  
_"Great, I'm stuck with a girly droid" she teased back  
_Oh, and those stilettos are just for show are they?...  
_"Touche" Alia admitted defeat. Then she heard a voice from behind her; she didn't hear what it was saying, but some instinct told her that should: Get. Out. Now.

_Up for a bit of exercise? _Alia sent.  
_Ready when you are…Just try to keep up! _Her new friend beamed back. A door opened and they both streaked out, laughing like maniacs.

_What a great first impression….._

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You like? You hate? For fudge sakes just leave a review!

Until we meet again….


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